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[ 310 1
That this was the general opinion o f
the Icelanders, I tliink, may be proved
thus ; that though various conjectures
are generally made concerning the
author of an anonymous work, there
are liardly any except Sturleibn mentioned
as the author o f the Edda.
I cannot on this occaiion pafs over
in filence what I have read in p, 326
o f the Daniih journal, publiOicd by-
Mr. Lilic, in 17 56 ; namely, that the
celebrated Arnas Magnaus, in a written
account left ns by Siimundr Frode,
was of thefame opinion as Mr. Schlozer,
that Sturlefon v.'as not the anthor of the
Edda.
The aroO'unients that be makes iiie
o f feem to carry fame weight vrith
them ; that in the lail part of the
Edda, called Liodfgroimir or Skallda,
Sturle ion is not only quoted, but alfo
recommended as a pattern to the
poets ; and tliat in this part mention
is likewife made o f the kings Fiakan
Kakanibn, Magnus, Erich, and Kakan
Magnuilbn, wl:o all lived later than
Snorre. Tlfis argument at iiidl
ijght feems to be deciiive, but lofes its
w h o l e
[ 311
whole force upon a nearer examination.
The true ftate o f the matter is
this :
In the beginning of Liodfgreitnir the
anthor o f the Edda fays, that he has
three different heads to treat upon ;
viz. the rules o f poetry, its licences
(licentia poctica), and its faults (vitia
carminum), fettning, leife, and Jyrer-
hodiiing. The two firft of thefe fub-
jedls are perfedly difcuffed in the
Eiodfgreimir, but the laft is wanting.
A later writer has attempted to make
up this deficiency, and lias therefore
made a fupplement to StnrleibnE Edda.
It is not in the leaft extraordinary that
he fliould have mentioned Sturlefon,
and given him his merited fliare o f
praife ; but that this fupplement does
not belong to the genuine Edda, is
proved by the Upfal manuicript, where
it is entirely wanting.
In this manner it may be explained
what is faid o f the fncceeding kings :
they are never mentioned in the Edda;
and I am much miftaken i f ArnasMag-
naus has not taken them from the
Skaldetal, or lift o f poets, where they
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